Microfinance Banks and Entrepreneurship Development in Nigeria: A Case of Ogun State

The purpose of this study was to determine how microfinance impacts on entrepreneurship development in Nigeria with a special reference to Ogun State. The survey research design was adopted and data collected through questionnaires. The impact of microfinance on entrepreneurship development in Nigeria was analyzed using the Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression method. The study revealed the existence of positive relationship between microfinance and entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. It further revealed that microfinance contribute to entrepreneurial activities that can lead to sustainable development in Nigeria. The findings of this study show that microfinance institutions go a long way in the determination of the level of entrepreneurial productivity and development in the Nigerian economy. In order to enhance entrepreneurship which is a potent instrument of activating the economic growth in developing countries, job creation, wealth creation, poverty eradication, innovations, and its related welfare effects by microfinance, the study recommended that in order to enable the beneficiaries of micro finance schemes to fully appreciate the utility of the facility, the monetary authority (CBN) must continue to appraise the credit delivery channels and formulate policies that would facilitate the delivery of the facilities to the rural communities. Microfinance institutions need to put in more effort in financing entrepreneurial activities that can promote economic growth accessible to the poor, reform of the legal system to offer more protection to investors and creditors and also establishment of credit information exchange mechanism that would track all borrowings and repayments in the banking system no matter the size. Key words: Entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, microfinance bank, microfinance, loan

Paralympic athletes’ perspective of doping self-regulatory efficacy in Nigeria

Background Problems: With the high demands of sports and the crave for success despite diminishing strength with ageing in the presence of disability, athletes are tempted to contravene the ADRV. Research Objectives: The study aimed to study paralympic athletes’ perspective of doping self-regulatory efficacy in Nigeria. Methods: Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A 13-item validated questionnaire (α= .74) was employed to collect data for the study. One-hundred and twenty-four male (81) and female (43) elite para-athletes (mean= 23.15 years, ±3.65) voluntarily participated in the study. ANOVA, PPMC, and Cramer’s V Chi-Square Coefficient Contingency were used to determine the relationship and difference across age, gender and sport type and the extent of the para-athletes’ likelihood to dope and confidence to avoid banned substances, respectively. Findings and Results: It indicated a significant effect of age on likelihood to dope at the p 0.05), sport (0.280, p > 0.05), and age (0.263, p > 0.05) on the likelihood to dope. Although, significant among older (0.022), female (0.024) para-athletes. Cramer’s V indicated a strong association when drugs would give immediate fitness (ɸ = 0.217), (ɸ = 0.243), and (ɸ = 0.263) across age, gender, and sport type respectively. Conclusion:  It is concluded among others that the para-athletes showed high self-efficacy and low likelihood to dope even in the presence of stressors. However, the ever-pressing need for the athlete’s body longing need for nutrition, oxygen, rest and staying in shape and top form for competing increased the possibility to use a banned drugs for your injury recovery among some older athletes. Psychological interventions are suggested combat the likelihood to dope given the experience levels or psychological dispositions of athletes

Kinetic study of low temperature oxidation of Athabasca bitumen

57101The principal objective of this study was to provide low temperature oxidation reaction models which are suitable for use in numerical simulators of in situ combustion for the Alberta's Athabasca oil sands. For the first time, in the literature, a systematic study was carried out to investigate the low temperature oxidation reactions of the liquid phase components of bitumen or heavy oils. Athabasca bitumen, free of water and minerals, was oxidized using a stirred semiflow batch reactor. Reactions were carried out in the 60°c to 1S0°c temperature range and at oxygen partial pressures of 40 kPa to 2233 kPa. The total pressures applied in the reactor ranged from 2190 kPa to 4415 kPa. Experimental data were collected in the kinetic subregime. Reactor product gas analysis was carried out using a gas chromatograph and the liquid phase oxidation product was separated into six main components (lumped components): saturates, aromatics, resins I, resins II, asphaltenes and coke. Experimental runs were made at 1S0°C, 135°c, 120°c, 105°c and 60°c, and at each temperature reactions were terminated after varying degrees of oxidation or reaction extent. Time dependent product distribution curves show that the reactions involving the liquid phase components are consecutive. The oxidation reactions were dependent on oxygen partial pressures and were independent of the total pressure in the reactor. Elemental analysis and spectroscopy tests were carried out for selected oxidized bitumen samples in an attempt to understand the chemistry of the complex oxidation reactions. Results of these tests suggest that the liquid phase products were formed through condensation, oxygen incorporation and polymerization reactions. For the first time, in the literature, kinetic models have been established for the liquid phase reaction components involved in the low temperature oxidation reactions of a mixture of complex hydrocarbons. Based on the experimental kinetic data, two main types of reaction models are proposed. These are: i) A non-steady state kinetic model to represent the overall rate of oxygen consumption. This model is second order with respect to oxygen partial pressure. ii) Four non-steady state multiresponse kinetic models representing the oxidation reactions of the liquid phase components. These components include, maltenes, oils, the resins and asphaltenes-coke. The models are first order with respect to the lumped components and fractional order in oxygen partial pressure. The invariant kinetic parameters in the models were estimated using the maximum likelihood techniques. statistically adequate. Proposed models were found

A Study of the Hepatoprotective effect of Garcinia Kola Water Extract in Amodiaquine and Artesunate Treated Rats

The effect of kolaviron, a water extract of Garcinia Kola on hepatotoxicity induced by the antimalarial drug, amodiaquine was investigated. The effect was compared with that of artesunate, another antimalarial agent. Thirty (30) adult male rats divided into six (6) groups were used in the study. Groups D, E and F were treated with 100mg/Kg of the extract twice daily for the first one week and 200mg/Kg/day for the subsequent three (3) weeks. Amodiaquine (10mg/Kg/day) was administered orally for four (4) days into rats in groups A and E while rats in groups B and F were treated with artesunate (5mg/Kg/day for four {4} days). Group C was treated with normal saline and kept as test control. All the rats were sacrificed after 4 weeks treatment period. Blood was withdrawn by cardiac puncture while the liver was removed, homogenized and used for both biochemical and histological analysis. Treatment with amodiaquine resulted in increase in relative liver weight while this increase was reversed by pre-treatment with Garcinia kola extract. Amodiaquine treatment also resulted in significant increase in liver postmitochondria lipid peroxidation, while pretreatment with Garcinia Kola significantly decrease the MDA value from the 62.53±0.60 unit/g tissue (prior to Garcinia Kola administration) to 44.43± 2.16unit/g tissues. Treatment with artesunate neither caused a significant change in the relative liver weight nor in the lipid peroxidation value. Amodiaquine treatment also resulted in significant increase in serum ALT and AST activities and a subsequent decrease in these parameters in the liver, whereas, the observed changes were reversed with pretreatment with Garcinia kola extract. Treatment with artesunate and pretreatment with Garcinia kola prior to artesunate administration did not alter these parameters significantly. Histological examinations of the liver slices correlated with the observations in the serum and liver. The present study indicates that Garcinia Kola is effective in preventing the hepatotoxic effect due to prophylactic administration of amodiaquine. It also emphasized that prophylactic treatment with artesunate does not cause a significant alteration in liver function. Keywords: Garcinia Kola, hepatotoxicity, amodiaquine, artesunate, lipid peroxidationNigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 6 (2) 2007: pp. 9-1

Nigerian mistletoe (Loranthus micranthusLinn) aqueous leaves extract modulates some cardiovascular disease risk factors in monosodium glutamate induced metabolic dysfunction

The safety of monosodium glutamates (MSG's) usage has generated much controversy locally and globally. This study investigates the efficacy of Loranthus micranthus in modulating the metabolic disorder associated with MSG intake. Thirty five (35) female rats randomized to three groups labeled 1 (7 rats), 2 (21 rats) and 3 (7 rats), respectively were used. They were administered with normal saline, MSG (200 mg/Kg) and MSG (200 mg/kg) + L. micranthus (600 mg/Kg), respectively for 28 days. Seven rats were then sacrificed from each group. The remaining rats in group 2 were then redistributed to groups labeled 4 and 5 consisting of 7 rats each. MSG was then withdrawn from all the rats. Group 4 was treated with L. Micranthus (600 mg/Kg) while normal saline was administered to group 5. All administrations were carried out for 30 days. The rats were then sacrificed and the serum was used for analysis. Analysis showed increase total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) -cholesterol, glucose and total protein concentrations and a reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) -cholesterol (when MSG was administered). These parameters were restored to normal with L. micranthus treatment. Although no histological change was observed in the uterus, there was a significant increase in organs relative weight when rats were placed on MSG but this was reversed with L. micranthus. The study suggests the efficacy of L. micranthus in reversing cardiovascular disorder and its ability to prevent MSG induced fibroid in rat.Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol, Lipid profile, Loranthus micranthus, of monosodium glutamates (MSG).African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(39) 3989-399